Online Poker could soon become legal in New York in 2019

January 15, 2019

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Some people get enthusiastic at the thought of online poker becoming legalized in the state of New York. In fact, they recently introduced a new bill at the state Senate level where they will try to pass this again. Senator Joseph Addabbo introduced this legislation in an effort to legalize online poker. 

Where the Bill Has Gone

The bill for the legalization of online poker has been referred over to the Racing, Gaming and Wagering Senate Committee. This bill has turned into the topic of much discussion ever since 2013. They have only made the authorization for online poker, however, and you don't have an allowance for online casinos or sports betting apps. 

What is Expected

Most expect that the sports betting legislation will get passed through on the state budget, but it will have a couple things that are needed. For example, for places to get licensing, they will first be required to pay a one-time fee of $10 million for the licensing. In addition, they will have to pay a 15 percent tax rate on the gaming revenue. Legislators plan to allow for 11 different licenses to go to different establishments. The regulations are planned to roll into effect. 

Why This Bill Could Pass

We have a variety of reasons for online poker could soon become an accepted part of online gambling in New York in 2019. First, you have Gary Pretlow, an assemblyman, who has expressed incredible vocal support for the legalization of online poker. They have chosen to prioritize this bill in 2019 so that it gets passed. 

Failure in the Past

Before we continue, we should first understand that sports betting has failed to inspire support in the past, which led to its ultimate failure. Several attempts were made to legalize it in the past that ultimately failed. The big difference between then and now comes down to the addition of what has been known as a "bad actor" clause. That could prove somewhat of an obstacle for the offshore companies like Pokerstars, which took bets from players even after passing UIGEA in 2006. 

The biggest hurdle to the legalization of poker will come from it getting past the state assembly. Because the bill only includes online poker, some people may not fully support this bill because they want to have total freedom when it comes to online gambling.